How Important Has Instagram Been for These Under-the-Radar Brands?

There's no question that the way we shop has changed dramatically since the internet came around, but recently one of the biggest changes disrupting the fashion industry is Instagram. The platform has opened up a space where young talent can thrive. With fresh designs, strong imagery, and a distinct point of view, designers can attract an audience in a way that wasn't possible before. It's a bona fide way to build a brand, define an aesthetic, and connect with a core audience.

Interested to find out how Instagram has impacted on-the-rise brands, we turned to four cool designers for their input. Ahead, we're chatting with the women behind Staud, Dear Frances, Rejina Pyo, and Sézane to find out just how important Instagram has been for their success, how they create content, and how they've grown their followings.

Keep reading to find out their thoughts on the rise of fashion brands in the age of Instagram.

How important has Instagram been for your success?

"The most important. Today it's become the way people shop, discover, and connect. It's been both a playground and a testing ground for us. It has helped us build a visual brand identity and grow our business in ways we couldn't have imagined."

How did your business get to where it is today, and what role has Instagram played?

"We have grown organically over the last year and a half or so since we launched. Instagram has played a really significant role in that growth. A lot of people have and continue to discover us through Instagram. Our collaborations with both Net-a-Porter and Solid & Striped came through Instagram discovery. We have made so many great connections to photographers, models, and graphic designers that we have been able to collaborate with. Instagram is a source of inspiration. We are constantly inspired by it and try to provide our followers with content that is equally inspiring."

What is your approach to creating content on Instagram?

"Authenticity. We really don't think that much about what's going to get the most likes. We just post pictures that speak to us and hope for the best. We tend not to repost or post pictures of celebs or bloggers on our account because we really look at it as a platform to showcase our brand's aesthetic. It's really interesting to look back and see the way it shows our history and tells our story through these little images."

How have you built a dedicated following?

"If we knew the answer to that, we would bottle it and sell it online (kidding!). I think it really just goes back to a combination of things all happening at the right time. But first and foremost, I think for us, our followers really feel our passion coming through on every level. We don't care as much about the number of followers we have but rather their engagement. It's about quality over quantity for us."

How important has Instagram been for your success?

"Instagram has become such a powerful platform and has opened a unique path for designers to find and connect with their own audience. We use it organically and enjoy engaging directly with our customers—asking what works for them, what they'd like to see more of and when. We have found that our customers appreciate the open dialogue. They are interested in our story, and they want to be part of our journey as we grow and develop as a brand. So in this sense, Instagram has played an important role in helping us to tell our story and connect with our customers in a very fluid way."

How did your business get to where it is today, and what role has Instagram played?

"Instagram has always been an important part of our engagement, as well as being something that we love doing. When we first launched, we worked with a handful of amazing influencers on Instagram who embraced the brand early and really helped to spread the word about Dear Frances. As our audience grew, we realized that people wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes, and we loved sharing more of our story with them. Instagram grew into a platform where we could share not only our shoes but also the inspiration and the craftsmanship involved in each pair—it has become a place where we can tell our story in more detail."

What is your approach to creating content on Instagram?

"We use Instagram as a way of communicating our story and sharing what's inspiring us each season, so you'll usually see a lot of architecture, nature, and art alongside our products. Each of these elements is a source of inspiration for me, and I really enjoy curating the posts to reflect what we're currently working on in the studio, as well as new-season launches and detailed images of our shoes. The launch of Insta Stories has opened an exciting new chapter, and we enjoy using this space to share life in the studio, as well as styling advice and snippets of how influencers and customers are choosing to wear their Dear Frances."

How have you built a dedicated following?

"We keep our content focused and feature images that help to tell a story about what we're currently working on and what's inspiring us. I love to show behind-the-scenes snippets and cropped images that detail the craftsmanship in our shoes—something that can often be difficult to show in traditional media. Sharing these processes, as well as influencer styling advice, has helped us speak to our audience and engage them in our everyday processes."

How important has Instagram been for your success?

"Instagram has been an incredible tool. The platform allows us to publicly tell our brand story through a curated selection imagery that is constantly updating and evolving. It has been a phenomenal resource to see how our followers and customers engage with us through comments, tagging, and stories. We get a great sense of who our customer is and how she wears the designs."

How did your business get to where it is today, and what role has Instagram played?

"We have gotten invaluable exposure through the reposting of our lookbooks and tagging of people wearing the pieces. Instagram has really helped in creating a hype and excitement around the brand in a way that I've never expected."

What is your approach to creating content on Instagram?

"The stories integrate a more interactive element, which allows me to share moments from my life as a designer as well as the brand and products. I try to add variety to my content by showcasing our own imagery as well as how the brand is interpreted by others. I also like to show images of artwork, sculptures, photographs, etc. that have inspired the designs."

How have you built a dedicated following?

"I am not sure how it works but posting only the images I believe in and that inspire myself and other people."

How important has Instagram been for your success?

"Instagram has been essential—because Sézane was born and created entirely online, the first French brand to do so, Instagram was a channel that allowed us to bring our story to life and make it truly accessible to all."

How did your business get to where it is today and what role has Instagram played?

"We grew Sézane very organically. In the beginning, it was just me and a small team, and we simply focused on making the most beautiful pieces and delivering them at fair prices. I think our obsession with building Sézane as a new kind of fashion brand translated perfectly through Instagram, which in many ways is the new channel for fashion. Instagram allows us to infuse fashion with accessibility and provide visibility to quintessential French style for every girl across the world."

What is your approach to creating content on Instagram?

"We stay true to what inspires us and our collections, and try to create a glimpse into the Sézane world for our community. From our muses to where we love to travel to inspirational quotes and sneak peeks of upcoming collections, we want our Instagram to be a reflection of the beautiful reality of Sézane."

How have you built a dedicated following?

"Organically and with time! I think because the brand was born online, Instagram was a complementary way to discover all the Sézane news from the very beginning. Our followers got accustomed to checking our Instagram first for when the new collection is launching, when restocks are back, what events are coming up, etc. We also love to engage with our followers, so we answer every single comment and message, and try to make sure the communication is as easy and friendly as possible."